1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the selection of touchable items depicted on a computer-controlled touchscreen display and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for determining which touchable item is selected by an imprecise touch.
2. Description of Related Art.
Various types of computer-based devices have been developed for communications, information processing and other purposes. Among these devices are personal computers, personal digital assistants, and a relatively new class of devices known as portable intelligent communications devices. Unlike the first two devices, the portable intelligent communications device is designed extensively to be a communications device, rather than just a mobile computer, and as such it includes a computer integrated with communications hardware and software to provide telephony, messaging and information services. To enable at least some of these features, the portable intelligent communications device is able to be connected to the Internet by either a wired link or a wireless link.
It will also be understood that certain software applications are provided within the portable intelligent communications device which facilitate the aforementioned features, as well as other desirable features such as a Personal Information Manager (PIM), games and the like. An exemplary portable intelligent communications device is shown and disclosed in a patent application entitled "Switching Of Analog Signals In Mobile Computing Devices" and having Ser. No. 08/796,119, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference.
As noted in another related patent application entitled "Apparatus And Method Of Formatting A List For Display On A Touchscreen," having Ser. No. 09/083,012 and also being owned by the assignee of the present invention, the portable intelligent communications device preferably employs a touchscreen in conjunction therewith. It will be understood that a number of touchable items are displayed on the touchscreen which activate certain functions associated therewith when touched by a user. By "touchable item," it is meant any icon, symbol, designation, or other representation, either graphic and/or text in nature, which causes a related action or function to take place when touched (e.g., a graphical user interface).
It will be appreciated that each touchable item is preferably configured so as to have a defined target area therefor. This target area typically does not encompass the total area displayed for a touchable item, but has a predetermined shape and dimension. It is only when this predefined target area is touched by a user that the function or action associated with the touchable item is actually activated.
Although natural, touchscreens run a high risk of leading to errors. One reason for such errors is inherent inaccuracies from users touching with their fingers instead of a stylus. Another reason is that touchscreens on devices like the portable intelligent communications device described above are relatively small and the touchable items depicted thereon must be positioned closely together in order to present the information necessary for the given applications.
One approach to solving this problem has been the insertion of a cutout into a touchscreen as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,573 to Sylvan et al. As seen therein, the user of such touchscreen must press within the cutout regions because the insert covers the rest of the touchscreen real estate. It has been found, however, that this approach is highly inconvenient when more than one application is utilized on the touchscreen or when the display for a given application is apt to change dynamically. Since this approach also effectively reduces the size of the touchscreen by separating out the touchable areas with pieces of cardboard or plastic, it is seen that having the ability to perform a precise touch is countered by the efficient use of touchscreen real estate.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for selecting a touchable item displayed on a computer-controlled touchscreen which improves the effectiveness of user interactions thereon without requiring a touch to become more precise.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for selecting a touchable item displayed on a computercontrolled touchscreen which improves the effectiveness of user interactions thereon without requiring the touchscreen to become bigger.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for selecting a touchable item displayed on a computer-controlled touchscreen which improves the effectiveness of user interactions thereon without requiring a user to employ a stylus.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for determining an intended touchable item on a computer-controlled touchscreen for selection from an imprecise touch.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for selecting a touchable item displayed on a computer-controlled touchscreen which reduces errors caused by imprecise touches.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for selecting a touchable item displayed on a computer-controlled touchscreen which varies the threshold difference between touchable items based on the type of action and/or the specific application associated with such touchable items.
These objects and other features of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.